Mesoamerica Flashcards
Mesoamerica accounted for what countries?
Southern Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica
domestication in mesoamerica was based on what?
plants
the 3 sisters are what?
corn, beans and squash
corn does what to the soil it grows in?
takes nitrogen out
beans do what to the soil they grow in?
cycle nitrogen back into it
squash grow where?
along the bottom of corn plants
the earliest domesticated plant in mesoamerica is what?
squash- 8000-6300BC
where was squash domesticated?
Oaxaca Mexico
what plant was likely domesticated at the same time as corn?
beans- around 8000BC
what amino acid do beans provide that isn’t found in corn?
lysine
where were bean domesticated?
in mesoamerica and the andes
maize descended from what plant?
teosinte
what type of plant is teosinte?
a grass
what time is teosinte dated back to?
7000BC
where and when were the earliest maize cobs found?
in Guila Naquitz Cave, Mexico- 4200BC
with the domestication of maize, what qualities did it gain or lose from teosinte?
-husks shrunk and became enclosures for the ears of corn
-became less grass like
-not as easy to harvest as teosinte
what are some qualities of the teosinte plant?
brittle rachis, thickly enclosed seeds that are hard to digest, they’re found in middens
why are dogs significant when talking about domestication?
they are the only animal domesticated in both the old world & the americas
when did turkeys become domesticated?
275AD; they spread from S. America in 300BC
when was chocolate domesticated?
at least 2000BC
how was chocolate first consumed?
in liquid form
were there any beasts of burden in mesoamerica?
no
what plants and animals were domesticated in the Andes?
beans, quinoa, potatoes, cotton, corn, llamas, alpacas and guinea pigs
what is a sure fire way of telling a plant which is domesticated from a wild plant?
it has a thinner seed coat than a wild plant
what 4 plants/crops were domesticated around the same time in the Andes?
beans, quinoa, potatoes and cotton
when was corn domesticated in the andes?
6000-4800BC
where in south america were beans and quinoa domesticated?
-BEANS- Guitarrero cave, Peru
-QUINOA- Panaulauca cave, Peru
what crop was not indigenous to the Andes?
corn; it was brought to mesoamerica
what evidence was found to prove the domestication of potatoes?
phytoliths & tubers
a plant with a large tuber is more likely to what?
be domesticated
which were used for transport: Llamas or Alpacas?
Llamas; they were also raised for meat
Alpacas were used for?
wool and meat
why is there no evidence of the domestication of alpacas & Llamas?
they were likely domesticated by mobile hunter gatherers who left no evidence behind at sites
domestication in the American SW took place during what time period?
the late Archaic in New Mexico & SW Americas- 2100BC
domestication in SW America was a movement of what?
Ideas, not people
how did the people of the SW change with the introduction of maize & squash?
some became more sedentary
how did maize & squash move around the americas?
through trade
Terraces were formed to aid in agriculture in low return areas like?
Cerro Juanaquena, Mexico
when did agriculture become prominent in Mexico?
after 1500BC
define optimal foraging theory
assumes human act on the basis of self interest to maximize efficiency in collecting/processing resources
optimal foraging theory explained what about the distribution and uptake of maize agriculture?
people made decisions to grow or not to grow maize based on their landscape productivity and returns
what is an example of the optimal foraging theory applied to the domestication of the SW Americas?
Rio Casas Grande Region had high return rate VS. Jornada Region which had a low return rate do to heavy rainfall and prioritization of other crops.
Basketmaker III overlaps with the introduction of what plant?
beans
what style of housing was common during the BMIII?
pit houses; as little as 1-2 were found with as many as 25-35 per site also being found–a village could have upwards of 60 houses
what are the 4 cultures found during the domesticated of the American SW?
pueblo, chaco, hohokam, mongollon
ancestral peublo period was during what time?
750-900AD around the 4 corners
the 4 corners were considered where what 4 states met?
utah, arizona, New Mexico and colorado
round pithouses used for ceremonial associations were called what?
kivas
pueblos are what style of house?
contiguous
when did pueblos become the norm in terms of dwelling style?
after 900AD
what type of agriculture did the Pueblo period exhibit?
organized agriculture through irrigation (using floodwater and dams)
what style of pottery did the Pueblo period have?
black on white
social stratification was first seen where?
McPhee village, 2 large u shaped masonry rooms were found proving the existence of large surpluses
large surpluses meant what for a civilization?
there would be redistribution of resources, they would feast, have ceremonies and it would help maintain social status
Chaco canyon is famous for what?
a massive road system leading to outliers
what time period was chaco culture?
900-1220AD
houses used for ritual activity were called what?
great houses
Pueblo Benito is?
a d-shaped 600 room structure surrounding courts, which contain kivas
how many people could Pueblo Benito hold?
at least 1000
Hohokam culture is during what time?
500-1450AD in Arizona
what is Hohokam culture known for?
-complex trading
-gathering
-irrigation
-single dwelling houses dug in the ground
-planted corn, beans, squash and cotton
Mongollon culture occurred when?
300-1000BC
what is Mongollon culture known for?
-small villages of pit houses
-digging sticks, bows and arrows
-baskets
-red on brown pottery
-agriculture was dependent on rain
domestication of eastern N. America initially took place when?
during the early archaic period- 3000BC
what type of domestication occurred in N. America?
indigenous
what was domesticated in N. America?
squash, sunflower, marsh elder, lambs quarter and pigweed
what happened during the domestication of N. America to the diet of people?
their subsistence was narrowed, especially regarding shellfish
squash, sunflower, marsh elder, lambs quarter and pigweed were domesticated where?
N. America
Poverty Point is known for what?
6 concentric (circular) embankments (0.65km radius) which showed the presence of a large labour force
Poverty point was built when?
during the late archaic period- 1750BC
people who lived at poverty point didn’t rely on what?
domesticates; they were great foragers and had access to great land & wild animals. they also traded with other societies
Mound A at Poverty Point is how big & looks like what?
21m high; looks like a bird
the woodland period consisted of what two cultures?
-Adena (early)
-Hopewell (middle)
the woodland period took place when?
1000BC-400AD in Ohio River Valley
the woodland period was known for what?
mound building-circle, square, octogon, serpent
what are trademarks of the woodland period?
-beginning of agriculture intensification
-first minor appearance of maize
-small, dispersed settlements
-elaborate burials
-extensive trade
-had enough of a surplus that people could develop crafts/skills
the Ohio Hopewell Interaction Sphere is what?
a trade network in eastern N. America during the mid woodland period; groups shared many aspects of culture
domestication in E. North America really took place when?
400AD- beginning of late woodland
what are some trademarks of the domestication in North America?
-intensive maize culture
-large villages
-maize wasn’t yet a staple of people’s diet yet
what test was done to determine how prevalent maize was in North America around the time of domestication?
isotope analysis
Mississippian culture took place when?
1050AD
what are some trademarks of Mississippian culture?
**Chief-dom society
-prestige goods trade
-adoption of maize
-small villages surrounding large admin centers
-no writing
what is a famous site associated with Mississippian culture?
Cahokia- 1050AD- Illinois
what about Cahokia was significant?
-largest admin center-100 mounds
-largest pyramid north of Mexico
-largest population in N. America before the 19th century
sub mound 51 at Cahokia is what shape?
oval
mound 72 at Cahokia looks like what?
mound with a ridge on top
the population of Cahokia was the largest before the turn of the 19th century, what did that mean for the people in terms of structure?
they likely had elite members who controlled surpluses, feasting and establishing social status
